Maybe not rerouted to Siberia, but Seattle is close...

For the love of Pete, I knew something would go funky on that bloody trip. Thanks oh so much Omega for telling us our flight was direct from Taipei to Houston, when in all actuality, it stopped in Seattle for us to deboard, clear immigration, GET OUR LUGGAGE, clear customs, trek through the airport with 4 carry-ons, 2 children, a laptop, a USELESS phil and ted's stroller and a 35 pound car seat. I say this with an enormous amount of venom: OMEGA SUCKS. Traveler's beware.
Okay, enough. We made it here and we are so happy to be home! It's wonderful to visit with our family and freinds, some of whom we haven't seen in 2 years or more. The girls are really adjusting well, better than expected and we are trying to take it easy and enjoy our vacation time. Eva had a fun sleepover with her cousin Reagan last night and is loving the play time with her all of her extended family.
Tempering my enthusiasm for seeing everyone is just a bit of sadness at how much all the kids have grown since our last visit. It's a bit stinky to realize they are all growing up so quickly and we only get to see itty bitty bits and pieces. I treasure this time here and hope that the kids will also. I've had some time with my close friends Jennifer and Stacey. I miss them so much and I'm so lucky they always make time for me, no matter what, whenever I just show up on the doorstep of Texas.
We're off to Maryland on Friday for a bit. My family is so excited that my sister can't sleep, my mom is rushing like a madwoman to get shopping done and she said my brother is over the roof to see us all! (And Dad is just along for the ride, smart guy!) A year is just too long to go without seeing my "big" little bro and my gruff old Dad. I miss ya, man.
Well, it's 2 pm and I have yet to shower, so off I go to get clean. We're dining out this evening, off to enjoy things we dream of in Okinawa.
To all my Oki pals, I miss you dearly! I hope your season is wonderful and filled with the joy of all things Christmas. I can't wait to see you all again. Don't forget, we're on our home stretch when Jodi & I return, so let's spend so much time together we are just plain SICK of each other when it's time to scatter to the four corners. I hope each of knows how much I love you and our friendships and community. Let's make the best of it in the new year.
Merry Christmas everyone.
Love,
Tiff & co.

babbling, barfing and murphy's law...

seems to be the running theme in the McCawley household lately. Poor Eva picked up a stomach bug and had a barfing incident yesterday. Poor baby, she was just so upset! Her little tum was hurting all afternoon and she was exhausted. Needless to say, a movie and resting on the couch was called for. It's 8 am and she is still asleep, on a SCOOBY day, so she must still be feeling a bit under the weather. Not only was the poor child sick yesterday, but we had to cancel a playdate with Maggie and turn down playtime with Isaiah. End of the world for a 4 year old!

Babbling, blowing raspberries, belly laughing and vigorous rolling are the theme of the day in Charley's world. That child is just so bloody cute I can't even stand it. As I type, she is blowing a raspberry, followed by yelling dadadada babababa, grinning at me, grinning at the couch and chewing on her finger. This morning she fussed when daddy left the room! I can see it happening already, I'm getting shoved under the rug again. So much for mama's girl. I can't wait for everyone to see her in just ONE WEEK!!!! I can't believe it's been 7 months already. She changes so much every week. Right now, she's getting pretty chubby and I just love those little fat rolls. I squeeze 'em to make her laugh! I'd do anything to make that child laugh. It's just the sweetest sound. She and Eva love playing together and Eva is just so patient and sweet. I wish I could videotape 24 hours a day so I wouldn't miss a moment.

Murphy's Law has apparently invaded my life, much to my chagrin. Lately it seems that anything that could go wrong DOES. And I seem to have lost the ability to even get irritated about it. I'd rather just roll over and play dead. At least I seem to have a sense of humor about it. Wonder if that will last through my root canal on Monday. I sure hope Murphy moves on to someone else before this trip home next week or my plane might end up rerouted to Siberia.

Well, gotta go work out.
Luv,
tiffers!

Sleepovers and Birthday Balls

Here's a few more pics. I'll post more and chat a bit later on today. Gotta get some breakfast, suck snot from Charley's nose, workout and plan the McCawley family day!

Evie and her buddy Isaiah having a birthday sleepover in the tent!

Okay, so here we go to Ball #2! Both were a blast for the first year ever! I swear it had seemed like the ball was just a boring excuse to dress up the last few years and finally we had a great time!

Happy Birthday to...

my Evie Grace, the Marine Corps and ME!
Whew, what a whirlwind in the last few weeks! We've had 2 birthday balls, my birthday, Eva's birthday, her birthday party, a very sick little Charley, Christmas Shopping and Turkey day. So please excuse my lack of posts! I'll upload a few pics today and more tomorrow.


Charles and I on our way to the first of 2 birthday balls. We had a blast, even though on of his marines told me I was the same age as his MOTHER. He almost had to push for that one. Needless to say, he bought a round of drinks, got "yelled" at by Charles and poked at by Me for the duration of the evening! Poor Kid.

A picture is worth a thousand words...

Sassy Cowpoke & her sweet sidekick, Flower!

A Flower Garden & a couple of goofy gardeners!

My Sweet little Flowers!

Sorry! No time for details, so the much anticipated pics will have to do. YES I MADE EVA'S COSTUME!! I was so impressed with myself I almost peed my pants. I was truly channeling my Nana. Enjoy!!
Love,
Tiff & co.

Roll over & give me a KISS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Even my bootie is covered in Halloween!

Seriously CUTEST kid in Universe

Check me out Papa, I've got your sideways smile!

Sweet Sisters!

Mommy & her Munchkins

Big hugs from the baby bug!

And so it goes. Life as a 5 month old is truly all about the simple pleasures in life. Eat, laugh, smile, play, poop, give kisses, snuggles and watch the world go by. I can't believe my Charley is 5 months old already. Where does the time really go? Babies are so amazing, truly the greatest gift is when we are given the privilege of witnessing a person in the making. It never ceases to melt my heart when she laughs, grins, and gives me a big, sloppy open mouthed kiss. I'm constantly amazed when she does something new or just masters a skill she's been trying for weeks. This morning she was clearly irritated about something, so I went in to give her a binkie & she'd rolled herself onto her belly & gotten kind of stuck there. It was too cute when I rolled her over & she just popped that binkie back in her mouth, stuck her hand by her ear & drifted back off to dreamland.
And... So a report on the Chronicles of Charley:

Rolling, rolling, rolling, keep that baby rolling!

Give me big sloppy kisses, I'm just that cute!

I can take my binkie out, I can put it back in, take it out, back in. AHA!

Cereal? Mmm Hmm. Love the stuff.

Fat rolls? Chunky Monkey, You want em, you got em!

Spinning the exersaucer while smacking every available toy? LOVE IT!

Eating my feet & removing my socks at every opportunity? YUPPERS.

Sitting? Not on your life. Still a gumby completely folded in half.

Holding my bottle? Are you kidding? That's what Mom is for.

Grabby Graberton. Can't keep my hands off anything that hangs, dangles or swings.

Mirror gazer. I am TRULY the cutest kid out there & I LOVE to look at myself & laugh, laugh, laugh.

Tickles? Holy Moses, I am super-dee-duper ticklish & I LOVE TO LAUGH!

Baby Babbles? Are you kidding? I think I have something important to say, so I just talk away!

How big am I? I weigh 13 lbs & I'm 25 1/4 inches long!

Cutest kid ever? YOU BET!!

Now for an Eva Update!
Oh, my sweet child. Well, let me clarify that. The last few days have been Mommy heaven with that girl. So cooperative, helpful & easy going I feel like I've won the lottery. I'm just waiting for the evil 4 year old to reappear & take away my lottery winnings. Seriously, I really thought I'd lost my sweet baby to the Freakin' Fours, when all of a sudden, she reappeared! I tell ya, Kristina always said it wasn't the Terrible twos or threes, but the F-ckin' Fours that did her in. I totally understand what she means! For a few days we'll roll along, happy as can be, minimal temper, happy cooperation & good listening. Then all of a sudden, the wind blows or something & it's temper tantrum city, deaf ears & "but Mom," all day! Oyivay, a window on the teen years. Okay, enough complaining. My little evie grace really is such a punkin, but she does have an occasional moment. Just like her daddy. Really, he REALLY does!!!! Don't you people out there call me a liar. I live with the man. Oh, all right all ready. I give up.

So. School for Eva. I was so excited for Evie to start back this year, as last year was a great year for her! She really blossomed socially & enjoyed each & every day of school. I was always happy with her work, with her activities & especially with her awesome teacher! I was really looking forward to another great year, especially since I felt like this year, she might be ready to come away from the experience with great pre-reading skills, as well as refine her fine motor & begin some writing, since she is totally ready! (okay, she is obsessed with letters, "writing," tracing, pretending to read & identifying familiar words.) Well, suffice it to say that I am looking for a new school. I have agonized over this for weeks. I'm so sad to take her away from her friends & the school she loves, but I truly feel that this year they are not holding up to their end of the bargain. There are 16 kids this year, vice 12 last year. Unfortunately, this is too many kids for just the teacher & 1 aid and alot of work is falling by the wayside in the name of crowd control and classroom management. I know that her "education" at this level is not going to make or break her in the years to come, but I do feel that she is ready to move forward in some areas & it's not possible for her to do due to the class environment. There is also a huge disparity between the 2 classrooms for 3 year olds. The other class accomplishes twice as much & has a much calmer atmosphere for the kids to work & play in. UGH. What do I do?

Okay, so the good stuff!
Evie is becoming more "little girl" every day. She has discovered her independence in a way I've not seen before. She TOTALLY broke my heart last week when she asked me to drop her off at Maggie's for her playdate instead of staying. I was DEVASTATED, yet amazed. When did she realize that she thinks it's cooler to play without Mommy around? Yet, sometimes she is so much more interested in actually playing with me! She loves to play games, play dolls, dance & sing with me more now than ever before. What an oxymoron. But, one that I love. I love that she is so secure in herself that she can totally function on her own. I also love that she thinks I'm fun & wants to hang out with me to play. I love that the other day she told me I was her best friend.

Her 4th birthday is impending & for the first time, she is really vocal about what she wants to do for a party. It's really fun to hear her ideas & try to find ways to make a cool party with them. She is set on a My Little Pony theme. YEAH!! She didn't once ask for a Barbie or Princess party, so I guess my redirection has worked a bit. I ROCK. Okay, no more potshots at those 2 for a while. She has stated that she would like to make hats, have a pinata & go swimming. I'm working on it. We might end up with a tea party fiesta swim adventure. I'll keep you all posted!

OH, the coolest thing the other day. In my car she found a little brochure with a map of the US in it. So she opens it up, asks me if it's a map of America & then starts pointing at states & asking me what state it is & then telling me or asking me who we know that lives there. What a nerd. I love it. I'm ordering the Land of Nod map of the US the second I am done with this post. OOHH, maybe we can learn all the capitals & state birds. HOLY CRAP, what has happened to me? Pretty soon I'll be wearing prairie dresses & not shaving my armpits.

Did I forget to mention I'm investigating some principles of simple living? STOP LAUGHING. I swear. It's a really cool movement to simplify our incredibly insane lives & I think they are really onto something. Who says we have spend today catching up to tomorrow? (thanks angie!) I'd rather live in the Now & enjoy it than spend today running & miss all the good stuff that happens when we slow down. I currently find myself a bit overscheduled & am about to bring it all to a screeching halt. When it takes me 5 days to return a phone call (sorry Cassie, sorry Markie!), I know too much crap is clogging the arteries of my life! Scale it back I say. Why do our kids need 3 or 4 extracurriculars? Do we do it because everyone else does? 1, maybe 2 is certainly enough in my book. My extracurriculars are getting the best of me right now, but I am working on getting a bit more organized (can you say TYPE A) so I can have more free time with my hubby, my girls and my pals! It's my last year here in 1950's America & I am damn skippy going to enjoy it.
SO, if you don't hear from me at least once a week by blog, send me an email, leave a comment or shoot me in the butt, but make me remember to slow down, live for now & keep this blog updated so I remember what is really important.
Life, Love, my Girls, Friends, Family.
luv to all,
I remain, respectfully...half a bubble off.
tiffers

Look Ma, no lines!

THIS is... Only 1 Me!!

Funny thing. I was sitting in my bed, sicker than snot, last Saturday. Into my room trots my little Eva, artwork in hand. Lately, she's taken to ransacking the "art" drawers for supplies & tools to create her little picassos. (I am so prejudiced..heehee) SO, the sight of her with art was not an unusual one. What was unusual, however, was the fact that she had produced (UNAIDED & unpressured) her very own self portrait, as well as portraits of Charles & I. I took one look at that adorable picture she drew of herself & knew that what I was seeing was her vision, her picture, herself! I thought alot about that last post, wondering if I was being too...I don't know, "free?" Too judgemental? NOT!!! I knew in my heart that she was capable of that, I just needed to really see it in living color. She's been making leaps and bounds all summer in her fine motor, dexterity, inventiveness & her "pretend" stories & friends. To see it all culminate was so cool! It just makes me more determined than ever than I will never let my children be boxed in by the expectations or desires of others. I know what's right for my girls.
Watch out Picasso, Casatt, Monet & Van Gogh...
Here comes EVA!
I really am so totally prejudiced!
luv,
tiffers

Being one of three...

is best for me. I remember quite vividly the day my Mom told me & Sam that we were going to have a little brother or sister. It was the icing on the cake of probably the best year of my life to that point. After some tough times for my family, my parents decided that they really were meant to be & embarked on a new journey together, remarrying on our vacation to Maryland. The following summer, we packed up the house, the dog, the cat, the construction supplies, the boat, the trucks & of course, us, and headed cross country for a fresh start in Maryland, my dad's childhood home. That trip TOTALLY sucked. We were all sick, the trucks overheated, got flats, the cat & dog jumped out while the truck was moving & to top it off, we never got to see the Grand Canyon or the World's Fair. We did, however, get to Maryland safe and sound, ready to jump into our new lives clear across the country from California. Talk about an adjustment. ANYWAY, I digress. We quickly settled into our new lives in East Coast suburbia, throwing a fun labor day party for our new friends & family. Well, Fr. Brault decided blessing my parents bed was in order that day. Hm. Wasn't but a month or so later my Mom broke the news to Sam & I about the impending arrival. To say we were excited would be an understatement. When my parents were separated, we never even entertained the idea of another sibling, we just wished for our family to be one again. When things smoothed out for us, Sam & I began bugging my parents in earnest for a little brother or sister. Both Mom & Dad told us the time had passed for adding to our family & that we were just perfect the way we were. Well, I guess the Man upstairs had other plans. Our neat little family of four morphed into a rambunctious five on July 20, 1983.
Things in the Lewis household would never be the same, to say the least. Sam & I finally had the brother we'd wished for, the whole family we'd prayed for, a pool & by the following year, my Nana with us all the time.
Mark changed all our lives with his. Even though we had a true generational gap from Markie to me, with Sam somewhere in between, we have always been & will remain a tight little sib family of 3. I am so incredibly blessed to have my sister and brother in my life. I can't imagine life without either of them. Which is why...
3 is the number for me. I want my girls to be one of 3. I can't imagine a more perfect number. I can't imagine better siblings. I certainly can't imagine life with just me & Sam. All was right in the planetary alignment for the Lewis children, the Wetherill children & maybe someday, for the McCawley children.
Wish me luck.

Coloring inside the lines...

squashes my punkin's exploration of what she thinks is art!! I've always had a bit of an issue with "pre-determined" art for kids. Yeah, those little craft thingys they make in school are cute, but it's not thier idea, thier interpretation. It's not THEM. Today, Evie came home with this cute little worksheet with an outline of a little girl. The title was "Only 1 Me." She was supposed to color it & fill it in with whatever she wanted. YES, she did an amazing job of coloring in the lines & used lots of fun colors & even made her hair blond, but I did wish that she had just drawn her very own self portrait. It's funny, though. I actually felt guilty for feeling that way & not just being bowled over by how great she was coloring inside the lines. I know you're all rolling your eyes and thinking I've gotten way too crunchy granola (except you, Angie :-), but I really do think that sometimes our society is so obsessed with labels, commercialism & keeping up with the "Joneses" because we've lost our ability to be "free" thinkers. We're born into a society that doesn't always value the whimsy & magic of our children. I believe that there are still way too many people out there who think children are meant to be controlled, told what to think & should be seen/not heard and that it has an enormously negative impact on both our children and ourselves. Don't get me wrong, I like nice things as much as the next person, but I've found over the last 2 years that not having what I thought was so important & that I could live somewhat "without" that it's really changed what I think is important. I no longer believe that money is the marker for success in life. My marker is my family, my children & my self-image. I get a much bigger reward at the end of day when I look at my children sleeping, peaceful- happy- healthy, and I know that they are that way because of Me, of Charles.
I haven't turned into "simple living" poster child. I haven't stopped buying things just because I like them. What I have done is learn I should want things because they make me happy, not because they show others what I have.
SO, how did I get to what I want/have/believe from "coloring inside the lines?" Simple. I want to live my life without conforming to societal norms just to fit in. I want my children to learn how to learn, NOT just learn to recite, regurgitate, pass the standardized test or color in the lines. I want to sing every day for the rest of my life, just because I finally love my voice. The way it sounds, the smile it brings to the faces of my children, my family, my students, my friends. I want to write for ME. I want to write for my children. I want to write for all of you. But most of all, I want to live each day like it's my last and regret nothing else. Because honestly, I have no regrets anymore. Each piece, part, event, has made me who I am today. And you know what? I like me, I really like me.
I really was so proud of Eva's coloring today. It means her fine motor is totally ROCKIN' and that she is beginning pre-writing. And that is awesome. Any new thing she accomplishes makes me smile & fills me with joy. BUT, I can still wish for better experiences for her & make it my mission to find them for her.
Hmm. I must be feeling introspective today. Ya think?
luv to you and miss you all!
Pay
IT
Forward,
tiffers

My perfect Mom day...

I know you're totally thinking I spent the day at the Spa, right.
NOT!! I think today was my best day ever in the chronicles of Mommyhood. I started this fabulous day with a workout. Totally made me feel like me again and not just a milk factory/cleaning lady/reservations clerk/teacher/playgroup guru/etc.................
When I picked Evie up from school, we just decided to come home, play games, hang out with Charley, bake & enjoy each other. And that is just what we did! I never once felt like I just had to go clean something, clean out a closet, make a phone call, deal with business crap, or anything else that is so NOT important in the grand scheme of life. It was so the best day ever!
I don't think I figured it out until today. Being a Mom really is TOTALLY fun if you let it be. No, I can't junk the routine of life, but I can decide to make it less of a priority to be so TYPE A that my picture is in the Mental Health guide next to OBSESSIVELY organized disorder. There will be crappy days, sad days, stressful days. But days like today just totally make me forget all about those days. Thank God for my children, my husband, my family, my friends, my life. I am truly blessed. Love to you all.
Don't forget to...
Pay it Forward...
luv,
tiff

Having a second baby is like...

The mohawk lives....

Hangin' with Sis

Who's that adorable baby in the mirror, Mom?

Hi, Ho, Hi, Ho, It's off to school I go!

Hangin' with Selah! See, I am a pygmy.

I will roll over, I will, I will!

Mmm, Mmm, Good!

falling off the face of the earth. Just Kidding! Seriously, sorry I've been lax about posting, it's been busy here with Kindermusik registration, pre-school starting & attempting to get Charley on some kind of predictable schedule. So, I've been absent a while, but I'M BACK!!
Where to begin?
Eva's Adventures...
back to school on Sept 8th. Oh, what a different first day than last year! My little wallflower has blossomed into the life of the party & just couldn't wait to get back to school. Last year, every morning was the "hand-off" from me to Kerri or Kim, usually followed by tears. This year was "See Ya!" followed by her reassuring her crying classmate that it's okay & it'll get better & he'll really like school soon! What a sweet child.
Eva brought home her schoolwork for the week on friday. I was so excited to see how much her fine motor skills have grown when I looked at her letter tracing & saw that she was spot on! Which brings me to my next dilemma. Education. When Eva was an early toddler, I started to look into Montessori Education. I'm really impressed by Montessori principles & really think the style of learning would benefit Eva's personality at this stage. I also firmly beleive that children will direct thier own learning if placed in the right environment to create curiosity. So here's the problem. The best montessori here requires full time attendance of 5 days/week, 6 hours a day. Evie is totally ready for that type of schedule, but guess who's the wuss? MOM! Although school has started, I'm still considering montessori. I know I can send her next year if we go to Parris Island, but I just don't want to miss this window of opportunity in her development. UGH. The perils of parenthood. Well, regardless of what I decide, my little punkin is growing up & I'll have to deal with it some day! So for now, we move onto:
Chronicles of Charley...
Holy Moses, what a sweet baby. I swear I've never seen a baby smile so much in my life. And at EVERYONE!! With that mohawk, those huge eyes & that super smile, she is breakin' hearts everywhere. The other day, we were out & about and she was hanging out in the sling. All you could see was her saucer shaped eyes & the top of her mohawk peeking out. I swear even 20 year old Marines were checking out that kid.
4 months old! We had a check-up, complete with those yucky shots. 24.5 inches long, 11 lbs 7 oz. I know, I know. I have little pygmy children. Hey, I'm small. It' s hysterical to see her next to all of my other pals who had babies at the same time. They all weigh like 16 or 17 lbs and here is my mini baby. She looks like a doll compared to NORMAL sized children. Speaking of looking like: I was moving pics around last night & found one of Evie at about this age with a towel covering her hair & only her face showing. Talk about creepy...it was totally Charley! How funny is that. Maybe they'll look like little clones with opposite coloring. Cute!
Charley decided to celebrate her 4 month birthday with rolling over. Right on the table at her check-up. I think it was a reaction to being set on her tummy. Which up until about a week ago, she hated. So the little bugger figured out how to roll over to avoid tummy time. STINKER. Finally, though, she likes tummy time, is pushing herself up, staring in the mirror and looking all around. So I guess I can stop inventing torticollis symptoms.
We also celebrated 4 months with some spoon fed cereal! Which she absolutely loved. Unfortately, I've 86'ed it since she started waking at 5 am again as soon as we added it to her diet in the evenings. Sleep beats cereal in the Mommy wars. We'll try again next month.
As for me & my honey...
Kindermusik started with a bang on Tuesday the 12th. My new space is awesome & my classes went great. I'm really excited to get back to teaching & enjoying the kids. Charley & Eva both loved thier classes & it was so fun to have my girls in classes. Wish me good karma all semester long.
Charles is submitting for DI duty this week, so we hope to know something by Christmas time. People in hell want ice water, so we'll see who wins. He has to spend the next 2 weeks as the Staff non fire for the range up North, so the LONG days will give us a taste of life in PI. Wish me sanity.
Our Christmas travel is booked, so a light is on the horizon. We can't wait to see everyone & be totally overwhelmed by all the choices! We are counting the days.
Well, I've reached my brain power limit for writing today, so hope you enjoyed the blurb. We miss everyone!
luv to all,
tiffers

reading is fundamental...

Okay, so this is going to be super quick since I'm wiped out!
Today, Evie was asking me about a barn shaped coca cola magnet on the fridge. After I told her it was a barn, she pointed to the word coca cola & said "that's the name of a soda mom." I almost peed my pants! I resisted the urge to take out an ad in Okinawa Living, but decided I could trumpet the exciting news here instead! She also recognized the words dog & go today. This is so cool! It's just out of the blue. It's so incredible to see the wheels turning & know how much she is taking in & learning.
Charley Chronicle: trying to roll over & playing with her feet are the obsessions of the moment. That and NEVER napping for longer than 20 minutes. UGH! I think I may have figured out that she is a bit light sensitive & needs NOISE to sleep. So, I'm trying room darkening & white noise tommorow. Stop me when I call Dr. Phil. (I swear I'm almost there. I can't even pee without being in fear of waking her up, since her room is right next to the bathroom.)
I'm off to bed. I am TIRED!!!
luv,
tiffers

the sweetest sound!

Reading by flashlight, bring back any memories, Mom?

love me, love my hair

...I've ever heard is the laughter of my children. Charley laughed for the first time today! We were just hanging out after she nursed, playing & doing some baby "exercise" and she just opened her mouth up big enough to catch some flies & the sweetest sound poured forth! Then I laughed & she laughed again and that was that. I've been doing the craziest stuff all day just to see if I can get her to do it again, but as usual, none of it is working. I have these visions of myself doing a Ross & Rachel, singing "I like big butts and I cannot lie..." (for all you Friends fans out there, you know what I'm talkin' about!) She's napping now, but I'm sure it won't last too long, so I'll be conjuring something amusing up soon enough. She also pushed herself up onto her hands and lifted her head on her changing table today. THIS is huge, since she hates tummy time & we've been hard pressed to get her do it at all. I, of course, have been microanalyzing her neck & had completely convinced myself that she was getting torticollis, then all of sudden today, she's lifting her head, looking side to side & lookin' strong! I swear I'm a progressive worrier, with each child I get more anal retentive & worrisome. By #3 I'll be so annoying my friends will start screening my calls & restrict me to email only communication. One of my friends here is a pediatrician & she probably thinks I'm a lunatic! I'm like... "Hi Katie, it's tiff again. I know I've called 16 times this week to ask you about blah blah blah, but I've just thought of SOMETHING ELSE..."
Oh and one more thing about my munchkin, she has this back scoot thing going on now. It's hilarious, she starts off in one direction & totally turns herself in circles to look at stuff. It's also probably a result of her trying with all her might to roll over. I think that's next on the list. I have a feeling little miss charley cupcake is going to be a bit more bold than my eva love when it comes to exploration. Stay tuned for more on the "Chronicles of Charley..."

On to my other light & joy. Eva Grace is growing up TOO FAST! The other day, she's like, "Mom, who am I gonna marry some day?" I was standing there with my mouth hanging open, like, huh? Where do you get this stuff? I HATE CINDERELLA!!!!!!!!!!! Barbie is on the list for eradication as well. I know most of you (except Angie :-}) think I'm crazy, but those stupid fairy tales & that slutty doll don't teach my kid anything except that she needs a man to be happy & her waist should be smaller than her head. The perils of parenthood...when to assasinate fairy tale characters & dolls. Is this a felony? Seriously, it's amazing how quickly she takes in new ideas & tries to understand them & figure out where they fit in her life. She has tons of friends who are starting kindergarten & is very inquisitive about when she'll be attending & what it's all about. Thankfully, we are still 2 years away from that heart crushing moment. Speaking of school, she asked me when she goes back to school the other day. Guess Mom & Charley are a little too boring to hang out with every day. When I asked her if she was excited about going, she said she was, then asked right away if "Bender" was going to be back. I was sad to have to tell her no. :-( Kerri- a shout out to you, you are very missed here & we are thinking of you & praying for a speedy recovery. Kerri Bender was Evie's teacher last year & made her 1st year of pre-school incredibly wonderful. She always took Eva right into her arms every morning, giving snuggles & love to help Evie with her separation anxiety. I don't think we could have done this year without her. She was also the stinker who gave Evie her first BARBIE. LOL!! Kerri is going through treatment for Breast Cancer, so please keep her in your prayers!

On to other Mac family news. After much discussion & lots of what ifs, we've decided that we are going to put in for DI duty for Charles. We had seriously considered embassy duty, but decided that another overseas post with our little ones & future little ones was too much to take right now. I wish the kids were older, it would be a no brainer. But, we do feel it's time to head back to the good old US of A. We are hopeful that they won't decide Charles' advanced age (HEE HEE, he's reading this & is going to pinch me...) of 37 won't impede his desire to scream, yell, drill & pt some recruits into lean, mean Marines. Just kidding. He's within the age limits, but it is competitive, so we hope he's selected. If not, then I'm voting for Hawaii as our next stop in states. I bet I would have a revolving door of guests if I lived THERE! I'm hoping to head back to school when we return, since I would like to finish my degree before my children do. UGH.
Well, time flies, babies cry & dinner calls!
Miss you & Love you all!!!
tiffers

My cutie patootie punkins!

Riding the waves with daddy!
Hangin' with Dad!

Here are some pics from our very first family "vacation" to Oura Wan Beach. Eva & I had a great time building our very first sandcastle (improvising building w/tupperware & a hair color bowl), Charley & I hung out in the hammock snoozing, Eva rode the waves with Daddy, then went for a swim in the yard, and I took my girlies for a sunset walk to watch the waves, collect sea glass & shells. We had a fantastic time & it was so wonderful to enjoy the long days with my hubby & girls.
We miss you all!
luv,
tiff

Pay It Forward!

Pay it forward, I say!
My new philosophy. I've had a rough 2 weeks, witness my lack of posts. Kindermusik is back on my calender, registration is stressing me out, Charley is cute as a button, but insists that I hold her ALOT, I have no idea where we're living next year, (Zimbabwe, anyone?), Eva's right eye is totally swollen & I have a crappy cough & sore throat. BUT...
Many small kindnesses made their way to me this week. My bud Annie just took Eva for me on no notice because she knew I needed it, a Kindermusik Mom dropped off a lovely sake set for me, the Okuma reservations lady took pity on me & cancelled our reservation at the last minute w/no penalty, Lucia gave me a sweet thank you note & made my day. These are just the few that I can recall.
Background, if you will. Early this week, a young Mom-to-be called me about a stroller I was selling in Japan Update. I told her to come by when she could & I'd let her take a look. She dropped by the next day with her husband & they decided they wanted it. They were very young & very sweet, obviously so excited to have thier first little one. I decided I'd rather just give it to them than take their money. They were very thankful & I just told them that someday they could pay it forward. Not really sure what made me say it or think it, but I decided then & there that I wanted to pay it forward whenever I could.
I've discovered something living here in Okinawa. We live in a world where paying it forward is a novel concept. No one dares take the time to hold a door, say thanks!, help an overwhelmed or incapacitated person, wait their turn in traffic, the list goes on. But here, it seems as though paying it forward is a way of life for many. I love that when I had to have Charley early, so many of my friends just took over & cared for Eva, never expecting a thing in return. Then in the weeks following, my friends took it upon themselves to bring us a meal almost every night for 2 weeks! All of them have children of thier own, some were pregnant, moving, sick, or stressed out, but they took the time for a kindness. If we all paid it forward, how many lives would be better for it? It would be exponential, amazing.
PAY IT FORWARD!!!!!

Christmas on the brain!

Okay, I know I promised I'd write sooner, but the time just flies by lately. My little high maintenance drool machine is keeping me busy.
So, my pity party is over. I just had a rejuvenating conversation with Angie, spent a great day with Annie, talked to my Mom & had great news from Michelle that Nicholas is doing fabulous. So, on to the happy stuff of life.
Eva Grace is utterly obsessed with Christmas. I think that this wait for our trip home is going to be a billion times worse than waiting for boot camp graduation day. I've totally done this to myself, since every time she asks about any family member, angie's family & now michelle's family, I tell her we'll see them at Christmas. Guess I shoulda thought a bit about that. DUH. It's kind of like when you threaten your child with taking away TV time or a really neat activity because you're so aggravated you want to spit & then you realize that what just flew out of your mouth earned you the idiot of the month award at Parenting for Dummies.com. OY. But, truth be told, I'm totally psyched about Christmas, so Eva & I can drive each other crazy waiting.
Speaking of Eva...
She is SO grown up lately! She carries on these full on conversations with me and anyone else who will listen. I swear she learns a new word every 5 minutes. And, of course, because I have a penchant for large words, she is quite funny when she incorporates my vocabulary into hers. "Mom, I'd PREFER to watch Dora, not Sesame Street." Her other thing lately is that she has decided that after 3 1/2 yrs of asking me to sing, she has decided that I should no longer vocalize in her presence, "Mom, could you PLEASE stop singing!" Beginning to erode my confidence a bit! Seriously. She has also reached the "JoJo" stage. This is a family stage that my sister & I have been forced to endure from our children that requires that our precious genetic offspring withdraw all forms of snuggling, hugging, cuddling, kisses or any other signs of affection. IT SUCKS. I have now resorted to out and out bribery for even a hug, never mind a kiss. So, you can imagine my surprise & pleasure when my punkin opted to give me many kisses today & told me last night she loved me! She's been really good the past few days & this was just the icing on the cake. Makes all the tough other stuff so insignificant.
Vacation Bible School is fast approaching & I just can't believe my baby is going to a "camp." The time really just flies too fast. I wish I could freeze my babies right where they are & cherish thier innocence forever.
Speaking of babies, it's time for the Chronicles of Charley...
HOLY MACARONI, what a cutie. This child just melts my heart. I spent so much time worrying about how I would feel when my second little bundle got here, always scared I wouldn't do right by her. I never imagined that I could love another human being as much as I loved my first little one. Then she got here & I not only fell completely head over boobie for this kid, but it made me love my Evie even more. Funny, it made me want more babies. We are hoping a 3rd will happen sometime after Charley is 9 mos. Guess we'll just leave it in God's hands. Even more oddly, today made me think I could even do 4. Someone HELP ME, I'VE LOST MY MIND... I'm sure Annie will smack the crap out of me when she reads this, so I'm good.
Charley is still sporting her mohawk. It will totally break my heart when she doesn't have it any more. She gets more fun every day. She coos up a storm. I think she's going to be a VERY early talker. Then today, I swear she laughed when she was hanging out on the couch with Daddy. She is such a happy baby. She smiles all the time & just loves to be around people. I think she'd nap better if I could just plop her down in the middle of a kids cafeteria than if I put her down in her bed. Prime example: today we trekked over to the indoor pool at the Grand Mer Hotel. 40 gazillion kids screaming at the full volume, plus us lunatic parents & of course it's like a sauna in there too. Guess who slept pretty much the entire 2 hours? Charley Cupcake. Personally, I think she's just very considerate of her sister & wishes to allow Mommy some one on one with Eva. Yes, my children are perfect in the eyes of their Mommy. (OK, I admit to a beer or 2 before I made that statement.)
Well, my train of though just came to a screeching halt & I am bloody exhausted. (my use of the word bloody is a tribute to my Nana. cute, huh. hee hee. Oh I am a funny, funny girl.) So, I'm off to the bed.
Miss & Luv everyone!
Counting the days to Christmas!
tiff
(p.s. I can't get my pics to upload right now. I'll try again tomorrow.)

IT SUCKS when people leave...

I am sitting here, having just read my friend Angie's blog & now I am SO SAD!!!! I'm all teary eyed & melancholy & all that other crap. Angie not being here is like peanut butter without jelly. Ugh. The pitfalls of life in the military. I MISS YOU ANGIE!!!
A little background if you will...
Angie is my fastest friend ever. We met on the phone because of Kindermusik & I swear we were best pals in like 36 seconds. SO we've spent the last 2 years doing everything together & then she had to up & move back to the good ol' US of A. I swear I avoid calling because then I just miss her & the kids (and you too, bill!) too much.
Then, my friend Michelle had to move on emergency orders, my pal Ali is taking off for CA, Steph is Bremerton bound, Debby is soaking up sun in Florida, Tami is on vacation in sunny CA, need I go on? Not to mention all my wonderful friends & family so far away. Sometimes this halfway around the world stuff is for the birds.
Why am I whining?
BECAUSE I MISS EVERYONE!!!!!
and today it just sucks a bit more than usual for some bizarre reason.
well, I think it's off my chest now.
oh, one more thing. I haven't talked to my childhood best friend since Christmas & it sucks.
I'll post pics & happy thoughts tommorow. :-)
I promise
tiff

parties, parties, everywhere & not a moment to think!

Daddy & Charley catching some zzz's!

Evie & Isaiah after some fun in the sun!

Check out that mohawk!


WHEW, what a weekend! My little Eva is a party girl. We had 2 fun birthday parties to go to this weekend & the time just flew. (It probably just seemed that way from my sugar high.) Saturday, we drove up to Oura Wan beach to celebrate Taylor Freres' 2nd birthday. Fun times were had by all! As many of you know, Charles & I have been discussing the possibility of going on Embassy duty, but really wanted to talk to some families who had been. We were lucky on Saturday at the party & were able to talk to some families who had been. We grilled them forever! It was a boon though, because all of our questions were answered & we are thinking we'll go for it. We really love living overseas & this will be a fun way for us to experience more cultures. My little punkins are going to be world travelers before they can even read all the cool stamps on their passports.
On Sunday, we went to Sammi Headley's 6th birthday party. We wanted to make sure had a special celebration for Sammi, since her parents can't be here. Sammi's mom (Michelle) gave birth to her 4th child 10 days ago. Unfortunately, he was born with a serious heart defect that required an immediate medevac off island. Little Nicholas is now in Northern CA with his parents, recovering from his open heart surgery. He is doing wonderful & the prognosis is excellent. Please keep him & the entire Headley family in your prayers.
Charley was great during all this excitement this weekend. She is such a sweet baby. She just seems to roll along with the flow. Although by this evening, she was DONE! When we got home & were doing showers, she just screamed her little lungs out forever. She usually loves her bath time, but tonight was having none of it. She was so MAD it was almost comical. Oy, that child can scream. She screamed from the time I started my shower, showered Eva, bathed her, dried her, lotion, clothes & blankie & finally stopped when Charles stuffed her nighttime bottle into her screaming lips! She then proceeded to drain the bottle & pass out. Evie wasn't too far behind, I swear she was asleep 2 seconds after I walked out of her room. This is the life. My kids have so much fun on the weekends that they pass out at bedtime. And everyone wonders why I don't want to come back. THIS is why! Seriously, this place is just so awesome for my kids. I can ony hope our next posting will be this great. And if it's not, you know I'll be going ass over teakettle to make it rock.
I would normally brag about how great my little one is sleeping, but I won't because I just know it'll jinx it, so we won't talk about her 10 to 12 hour nights. EVERYONE KNOCK ON WOOD NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!
Charley is smiling up a storm, coos like she is having an entire conversation & I think is totally going to laugh & roll over soon. She scooches alot. She is also starting to grab at things. It's cute. She gets ahold of her shirt and balls it up in her fist & tries to drag it up to her mouth. I wish she could get ahold of her binkie & pop it in. I'd have a lot more time on my hands if she could!
So today, Eva & I went to the commissary to stock up & she brought her own shopping cart & babies. She helped me pick out the groceries & led the way around the aisles. She is such a little grown up. Yesterday she asked if she could be an adult. Oh boy am I in trouble. Then she helped me out with decorating the cupcakes for Sammi's party. She really loves to help out & be a big girl. I should totally take advantage of this & teach her how to clean the house! She does love to help out with dusting & sweeping. She is definately her Nana's child. Before I know it, she'll be dusting baseboards & dumping drawers. (LOVE YA MOM!)
Well, I am determined to get in bed by 11 to save my sanity, so I've got to sign off now.
Miss & Love you all,
tiff

Here's some pics from Nana's visit, Oura Wan with our friends The Solley's and Charley's first pool trip. Enjoy!!

my children rock!

Okay, so today I've decided that I don't deserve such great kids. Our day was so busy & both the girls were total troopers! Poor Charley spent her entire day being dragged from one obligation to the next, starting with playgroup, then lunch out w/evie's pals, home to nurse & have a short nap, then back out into the TORRENTIAL rain to pick up paperwork, get shots (my poor baby!), drop off paperwork, pick up prescriptions, pick up Evie (false alarm, she got to stay for dinner & dessert w/Arianna), pick up Daddy, go to the commissary & FINALLY go home. Where the poor child proceeded to get terrible gas & was so tired she couldn't fall asleep. UGH. My mom swears that stinkin' car seat gives her gas & I swear she's right. Well, my super sweet Eva got home from her playdate & came lookin' for her mama & sissy. Since we were in the nursery rocking, Eva decided to bring her rocker in & join us. She also decided that Mommy should sing "Castle on a Cloud," among other favorites to help calm Charley cupcake. Sometimes kids just totally melt your heart with thier sincerity, purity of heart & true joy for the simple things. I really need to keep the pace slow & enjoy these moments, they'll whiz by before I know it.
Speaking of whizzing by, Charley is 2 months old now! She smiles all the time & I swear she is trying to laugh. She coos like crazy. I'm sure she'll be talking my ear off at an early age. She had her 2 month check up & has gained 3 lbs (now is 10lbs 6 oz) and grown 2 inches (now 22 inches)! She is a little piggy too. I NEVER have to remind this little punkin to eat. Evie could have missed a feeding no problem, still can, but not Charley. Holy cow, 8 pm rolls around & she is screaming bloody murder for that nighttime bottle. It's kind of funny actually. Her eating habits in general are comical. When she's nursing, sometimes she'll stop eating & attempt to use me for a human pacifier, which is a big NO. So, I'll start to put my hand down to pop her off & she'll smash her whole face into my boob & try to keep me from getting my hand in there. It's hysterical. I'd hate to see what she'll do in a few years when someone takes a bite of her cookie or something. Could be toddler assault.
Okay, I'm stuck on food. So today, we go to McDonald's off base. It's really good, but boy do they have some funny stuff. Evie had a mini pancake happy meal for lunch. Came with french fries, drink & a toy. Pancakes & french fries. I'm just not making the connection. It was really cute too, it came with this neat little packet that had butter on one side & syrup on the other, so you just squeeze it together & pour it over your pancakes so they get buttered & syruped at the same time. The Japanese are the MOTHERS of invention. I've never seen so many gadgets, packets, space savers, multi purpose items in my life. Heaven, I'm in Heaven, & my heart beats every time I see a gadget... (I think that's a take-off on a song from some old movie.) Holy cow, I crack myself up. Now I'm getting goofy, so I think it's best I head off to the bed. I might actually get there before 10!!!! I am such a total nerd.
luv,
tiffers

this is so totally cool!!!

Haha! I can't believe we got this up & running so quickly. With my time management skills of late, I thought my kids would be in college by the time this was done! (Kind of like the scrapbook I never started for Evie but swear I'll get to eventually.)
As Charles said, we made it through our 1st typhoon with minimal bumps & bruises! To be honest, I guess I kind of like typhoons. It's an excuse to just hang at home, get caught up & spend extra time with my kiddos.
So, I started this blog after being inspired by my totally awesome pal, Angie. What a great way for everyone to keep up on clan mccawley happenings. As of right now, my girls are watching Beauty & the Beast for the gazillionth time. Actually, eva is watching & charley is just hanging out on the hello kitty couch, looking around. (I'm emotionally attached to the couch, Angie, so even though I really don't have room, I'm keepin' it!) Charley has now decided that she prefers to cat nap while others are around & that sleeping in her bassinet is for the birds. UGH, better get that squared away or I'll never stay sane. Actually I think she is just going through another growth spurt, because she is cat napping & wanting to nurse alot, so hopefully she'll like the bassinet again soon! Charley really is just the cutest thing with that mohawk, those giant eyes & her sweet smile. Melts my heart every time I look at her!
Eva is loving being a big sis & seems to be moving past her little bit of sibling rivalry as we settle into our family of four. I try to keep her busy with the usual activities & play dates so she doesn't feel like she's getting the short end of the stick. She is taking gymnastics & ballet for the summer & really loves both, although she seems to prefer gymnastics. She is also a FISH!! I swear that child would swim 24 hours a day if I let her. We have like FIVE kiddie pools in the backyard & Charles just keeps getting more elaborate in his quest to create the ultimate backyard "waterpark" & playground.
Here's a couple of pics from Sam & JoJo's MOST EXCELLENT visit. I'll add some more from Mom's SUPER FABU visit later. Hey Sam, I lied when I said I'd never show that goofy pic to anyone. HEE HEE!!!
Well, I'd best get some stuff done around the house, so I'm off! Missing you all,
Tiff & co

The Typhoon

Good Morning,
Luckily the typhoon pushed west of us and we were spared the full force of the winds and rain. It did get windy yesterday and last night. We had to secure the outdoor toys and chain the trampoline to the cement laundry line posts. It is still fairly windy and raining this morning, but Typhoon Ewiniar has passed us by with no harm done except maybe to a couple of my plants outside that took a beating from the wind. Will post more later, this is more of a test than an actual posting.
That is all,
Charles